Postings

Hong Kong has finally released proposed legislation (over 250 pages) to reform audit regulation in Hong Kong. This process began in 2014 after the European Union withdrew regulatory equivalency from Hong Kong citing its ineffective system of audit self-regulation. Although most members of the profession publicly supported the proposed legislation, privately they have been resisting it, which is why the process has taken so long.

If the legislation is enacted, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) will become the regulator of auditors of public interest entities in Hong Kong, much as the US’s PCAOB and Canada's Public Accountability Board (CPAB) took over regulation of auditors of public companies in the US and Canada.

Section 20F provides that the HKICPA Council may impose any condition on registration of auditors that it considers appropriate. The PCAOB has refused to register any more Chinese or HK CPA firms on the basis that they are unable to agree to turn over working papers for inspection. The PCAOB has not chosen to revoke existing registrations of firms that are unable to turn over working papers, although it has picked on a couple of small firms. I don’t see that firms will be required to consent to turning over working papers as a condition of registration in Hong Kong.